Five innovative projects across Northern Ireland and Wales have
been awarded a share of £1million to develop technology to reduce
waiting times and improve outcomes for cancer patients.
The projects have been awarded funding as part of a first of its
kind Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Cancer Challenge,
funded by the Welsh Government and NI Department for the Economy.
The challenge seeks to further develop innovations that lead to
earlier, faster diagnosis, reduction in waiting times,
improvements to the efficiency and efficacy of treatment and
support palliative care.
Ideas include the testing of a capsule sponge test to reduce
endoscopy demand, a blood test for early colorectal cancer
diagnosis, using algorithms to help prioritise lung cancer
patients and population-wide pre-cancer registry using genomic
data to target high-risk patients.
Speaking about the project, Northern Ireland Health Minister
said: “The
current health and social care system cannot meet the growing
demands placed on it. We need innovative solutions to deliver
better outcomes for patients—diagnosing and treating the right
patient at the right time, while ensuring services are
sustainable.
“Cancer is the main cause of mortality in Wales and
Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, our most recent published
statistics show that less than 30% of Northern Ireland patients
started their cancer treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP
referral. This undoubtedly has a huge impact on their outcomes
and quality of life. The Cancer Strategy seeks to ensure that
everyone in Northern Ireland has equitable and timely access to
the most effective, evidence-based referral, diagnosis,
treatment, support and person-centred cancer care.
“This Cancer Challenge gives us the opportunity to test
and integrate promising new approaches into mainstream care. It
also demonstrates how cross-departmental and regional
collaboration can drive meaningful change. I thank the Welsh
Government and colleagues in the Department for the Economy NI
for their commitment to this vital work.”
Economy Minister said: “My
Department's SBRI Challenge Fund supports the development of
innovative solutions to complex public sector challenges. I
am pleased that the fund is able to make an important
contribution to this vital area of public health.”
Cabinet Secretary for Health in Wales said: “Early detection of
cancer is crucial for improving survival rates. Advancements
which improve people's outcomes and reduce health inequalities
are both welcome and vital for people affected by this
devastating disease.
“I am pleased the Welsh Government is collaborating with Northern
Ireland to lead this UK-wide initiative to research and develop
innovative cancer solutions. I hope this will support the work of
the NHS to improve the care – and timeliness of care – for
everyone facing a cancer diagnosis."
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, , said: “We see enhancing
innovation in our health and care sector as a crucial part of
delivering on our vision for a healthier and more prosperous
Wales.
“I am delighted we have been able to support this
first-of-its-kind initiative and hope it will help enhance
quality of care, optimise service delivery and result in better
outcomes for cancer patients.”
After a competitive SBRI competition, the five companies selected
are:
-
CYTED Ltd – Early disease detection using
CYTED Ltd non-endoscopic diagnostic technology.
-
IBEX Medical Analytics Ltd – AI-powered
diagnostics for pathology. Transforms pathology by ensuring
that every patient receives an accurate, timely and
personalised cancer diagnosis.
-
Cansense Ltd – Cansense is at the forefront of
transforming bowel cancer diagnosis with a fast, cost-effective
and scalable test that leverages artificial intelligence-based
modeling (AI).
-
Qure AI Technologies Ltd – Involves real-world
assessment of Qure's Chest X-ray (qXR) and Chest CT (qCT)
algorithms to increase speed and efficiency in with AI triage
and prioritization of Suspected Lung Cancer patients.
-
Future Perfect Healthcare Ltd – Development of
a population wide pre-cancer registry that will identify
at-risk patients using genomic testing of tumours and clinical
data.
Learning from the projects will be shared across Wales and NI
with commissioners and clinicians in Spring 2025.
Notes to editors:
1. The Cancer Challenge began in November 2024 and will run until
March 2025.
2. The project model is a collaboration which will be project
managed and led by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)
Centre of Excellence in Wales and the Business Service
Organisation's (BSO) Innovation and Market Development Unit,
Procurement and Logistics in Northern Ireland.
3. Funding for the project was secured from the NI Department for
Economy at a total of £400,000, with the overall contribution,
including investment from the Welsh Government, totalling
£1million.
